Sunday, September 19, 2010

Support Needed to Keep Kemp's Nesting Beach Safe!

A few years ago, residents and tourists near the Padre Island National Seashore in Texas were ecstatic that the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles were finally coming back to nest. It was a victory for the environment that would bring thousands of visitors to the Corpus Christi area. Now a group of fishermen are rejecting a common sense compromise and want to drive too fast on the National Seashore putting nesting sea turtles, children, families and pets at risk! No one is denying access to them, just asking all drivers to slow down during the nesting season of the sea turtles and camping season for visitors.

In 2009, as numbers of nesting ridleys increased, the superintendent at Padre Island National Seashore lowered the vehicle speed limit on the entire beach from 25 to 15 mph from April 1 to July 31-four months-which covered the entire Kemp's ridley nesting season. A vocal group of surf fishermen said they didn't like that idea. The Park then called for an Environmental Assessment (EA), which is underway.

In 2010, in the spirit of compromise, the superintendent shortened the length of speed reduction to April 15 to July 5-2.7 months-which this year did cover the nesting season. This isn't good enough for the fishermen who are trying to whip up public sentiment against a common sense approach at the Seashore. The comment period has been reopened until September 29.

Please take a moment to send an e-mail to: pais_superintendent@nps.gov

The choices are:
1. No action.
2. A seasonal 15 mph speed limit for the entire beach beginning at the occurrence of the first Kemp's ridley turtle nest observed within the park or April 15 -whichever is earlier- through the end of the Kemp's ridley nesting season.
3. A 15 mph speed limit from March 1 through November 30 for the entire beach. Outside of these dates (i.e.from December 1 through February 28), the speed limit from MM 2.5 south to Mansfield Channel would be 25 mph.

#2 or #3 would be common sense choices that would protect sea turtles, campers, children, pets and staff. This is an issue about an endangered species that nests on a national seashore so we should all speak up about it. Take time to send an e-mail to pais_superintendent@nps.gov asking for slower traffic during the nesting season.

Submitted by Carole H. Allen, Gulf Office Director
Sea Turtle Restoration Project

Monday, September 13, 2010

Galveston Isle State Park Survey

Hello everyone! There is a survey about the rebuilding of Galveston Island State Park online that is a great opportunity for us to ask for a sea turtle corral, an interpretative center so programs and exhibits can be seen about the Kemp’s ridleys, etc.

It takes a few minutes to get through the survey at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20100909a&nrtype=all&nrspan=2010&nrsearch=
but there are several opportunities to mention the need for a corral for sea turtles, keeping eggs on the Upper Texas Coast, releasing hatchlings in the Galveston area, etc. The need for a bigger nature center fits in several places. There is a public meeting at Texas A&M University at Galveston on the evening of September 21 and I hope some people can get there and ask for a corral. Pass the word to everyone you can and ask them to speak up about a corral, sea turtle interpretative center or whatever you want to say to support funding for the park and increasing attention by the state to the Kemp’s ridleys. Just speak up! Thanks!

Carole A.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

PATROL HOURS NEEDED

Counting patrol time spent looking for Kemp’s ridley nesters or tracks on the Upper Texas Coast is very important. We need to submit all hours (or partial hours) by September 15.

If you went anywhere on the Upper Texas Coast (Galveston Island, Bolivar Peninsula, Brazos County, etc.), please send a message to Carole@seaturtles.org. She needs to know the following or as much as you can provide:

We need the following information for those areas where patrols wereconducted specifically to detect nesting:
1. Area that was patrolled -(ie. Galveston West Beach from __ to ______). Length of beach patrolled if available (if you donot know the length, we will calculate it by looking at a map and using thedescription of the area that was covered).

2. Total number of hours actually spent patrolling on the beach (ifmultiple people went on a patrol, only count the number of hours for one ofthose people for that patrol)

3. Total number of miles actually patrolled on the beach (if multiplepeople went on a patrol, only count the number of miles for one of thosepeople for that patrol)

4. Date of first patrol

5. Date of last patrol

6. Days of the week that were patrolled (ie. seven days per week, Mondaythrough Thursdays, intermittent)

7. Typical number of patrol passes each day (ie. one pass a day, two ormore trips made each day along the entire route, two or more patrollerscriss crossed, etc.)

8. Patrol method used (ie. walking, UTV, ATV, 4-wheel drive vehicle, or acombination)

Thanks.